FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Guilford County LEPC

Off Site Release Scenario

Tabletop Exercise (TTX)

January 13th, 2011

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY2

Agenda

• [09:00]: Registration• [09:10]: Welcome, Introductions, and Exercise Overview• [09:20]: Module 1: Identification and Reporting• [10:00]: Module 2: Response• [10:45]: Module 3: Recovery• [11:30]: Review and Next Steps

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY3

Welcome and Introductions

• Name• Company• Daily Role

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY4

Administrative

• Phones, pagers, radios• Restrooms• Breaks• Evaluation forms• Additional resources

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY5

Purpose

• Provide participants the opportunity to evaluate current response concepts, plans, and capabilities for responding to a localzied chemical release.

• The focus is on key coordination, critical decisions, and integration of external assets.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY6

Scope

• Focus on the role of your company in response to a possible chemical release.

• Processes and decision making are more important than details.

• Emphasis is on coordination, integration of capabilities, problem identification, and problem resolution.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY7

Objectives

• Objectives for this exercise are to:– Share policies and procedures with alternate

emergency coordination staff– Pressure Test assumptions about local

emergency responder roles and responsibilities– Discuss internal procedures for unusual events– Share procedures with the greater responder

community

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY8

Participants

• Players– Respond to situations based on current plans and

procedures• Observers

– Support players during group discussions; are primarily passive observers

• Facilitators– Provide situational updates and moderate discussions

• Evaluators– Observe and record discussions and decisions

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY9

Exercise Structure

• Three modules:– Module 1: Identification and Reporting– Module 2: Response– Module 3: Recovery

• Each comprised of:– Situation Updates– Small group discussions of response issues– Facilitated caucus with presentations from each

group

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY10

Functional Groups

• Agencies Represented in the Exercise are:– Industry – Public Safety– Environmental Health– Emergency management– Others

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY11

Exercise Guidelines

• This is an open, low-stress, no-fault environment.• Consider different approaches, and suggest

improvements.• Base responses on the current plans and existing

abilities and assets.• Interact with other participants to answer questions.• Do not fight the scenario, learn from the discussion

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY12

Assumptions and Artificialities

• The scenario is plausible, and events occur as they are presented.

• There are no hidden agendas or trick questions.• All players receive information at the same time.• Local players should assume that while they are

concentrating on the local response, Federal and State responders are initiating their plans, procedures, and protocols.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY13

Module 1: Identification and Reporting

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY14

Current EventsJuly 7th, 2011 at 9:00am

• It is the week of July 4th through the 8th and your facility is operating at normal capacity.

• Many administrative staff members have taken time off for their yearly family vacation around the 4th of July.

• Part time employees are being used to fill some full time employees who have also taken off for the week.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY15

Current EventsJuly 7th, 2011 at 9:00am

• Typical July weather is in place for the week• High of 98 with a low of 82 forecast for the day• Humidity is at 42%• Winds are variable• 45% chance of Afternoon Thunderstorms

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY16

Current EventsJuly 7th, 2011 at 11:45

• Most employees are on their lunch break with a few employees left at their normal positions

• A Shipment arrives via FedUPz with a pallet of your WORST chemical

• Your newest employee (on the job for 3 months) takes receipt of the pallet and it is placed in your shipping area until the “regulars” come back from lunch.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY17

Current EventsJuly 7th, 2011 at 12:35

• Employees return from lunch to the shipping area and notice the recently received pallet from the shipper is wet on the lower half of the pallet

• Upon further inspection, there is a significant leak from the pallet on the back side which seems to run out of the dock into your parking lot.

• Currently the leak is contained to a low spot in your parking lot on your property.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY18

Caucus Period

• Questions to discuss:– What are your internal procedures based on this

scenario?– Who is notified at your facility?– If the primary people are on vacation, who do you

contact?– Do you evacuate areas of the facility?– Who else do you contact?– How do you respond to this event?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY19

Facilitated Discussion

• Questions to discuss:– What are your internal procedures based on this

scenario?– Who is notified at your facility?– If the primary people are on vacation, who do you

contact?– Do you evacuate areas of the facility?– Who else do you contact?– How do you respond to this event?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY20

Module 2: Response

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY21

Situation Update July 7th, 2011 at 14:35

• Your internal procedures are enacted and cleanup efforts are underway.

• A Thunderstorm enters the area with significant rain and lightning which makes your staff retreat indoors into their safe zones and cleanup processes are halted due to safety concerns.

• After about 45 minutes, the all clear is given for the severe weather and staff continues the cleanup process

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY22

Situation Update July 7th, 2011 at 15:00

• Due to the heavy rain, product is now flowing through your parking lot into the street, and down the culverts to the local storm-drain.

• During the process of investigating the release, an employee slips in the parking lot due to the wet conditions and hurts their leg and requires assistance. A co-worker calls 9-1-1 using their cell phone and reports an injured worker on site requiring EMS assistance. The worker does not mention the chemical release because they are unsure of its extent and does not want to get the company “in any trouble”

• EMS is dispatched to your facility for a possible broken leg.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY23

Media July 7th, 2011 at 15:05

• EMS arrives on scene and begins to treat the employee. No mention of the chemical release is passed along to EMS as they are not in the hazard zone.

• As your staff continues to investigate the extent of the product release, WXII News 12 happens to drive by the location (looking for storm damage) and sees your employees looking curiously in the storm drain and an EMS Unit treating a patient.

• News 12 stops to talk with your employees about what is going on…

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY24

Caucus Period

• Do you have severe weather shelter locations identified for your staff to seek safety?

• Do your notification procedures change now that the product is off-site?

• What are your procedures for injured workers on site?

• What are your employees trained to do when approached by the Media?

• What else would your staff be doing now?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY25

Facilitated Discussion

• Do you have severe weather shelter locations identified for your staff to seek safety?

• Do your notification procedures change now that the product is off-site?

• What are your procedures for injured workers on site?

• What are your employees trained to do when approached by the Media?

• What else would your staff be doing now?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY26

Module 3: Recovery

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY27

Situation Update July 7th, 2011 at 15:30

• EMS Transports your employee to Moses Cone Hospital with a suspected broken leg and dislocated shoulder

• Your plant supervisor contacted 9-1-1 and advised them of an off site release as soon as it was determined that the product actually went off site

• Fire and Hazmat arrive to investigate the situation and coordinate actions with your plant manager

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY28

Situation Update July 7th, 2011 at 16:30

• HazMat determines that very little product entered the storm drain and placed booms in the creek to stop the flow of product

• Environmental Health was notified through the Fire Department and they have ensured you have a cleanup company enroute (if you have not already) to get the cleanup started

• Additional media show up at the site to get an update on the spill. The Fire Department PIO makes an initial statement and then turns over the public information process to your company.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY29

Caucus Period

• What additional notifications will your company make?

• Do you have an environmental company available to complete the cleanup?

• What are your procedures when an employee is sent to the hospital?

• How do you coordinate the ongoing media process when key leadership are on vacation?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY30

Facilitated Discussion

• What additional notifications will your company make?

• Do you have an environmental company available to complete the cleanup?

• What are your procedures when an employee is sent to the hospital?

• How do you coordinate the ongoing media process when key leadership are on vacation?

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY31

Next Steps

• After Action Report (AAR)

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY32

Closing Comments